Carton having strap handle with improved product protection

ABSTRACT

A carton is provided including an outer top panel, a pair of opposed end panels hingedly connected to the outer top panel, an integral strap handle extending between the end panels under the outer top panel, and an inner top panel which effectively maintains a closed carton even after activation of the strap handle. The carton is formed from a first blank of material, and the strap handle is formed from second blank of material. The second blank is folded to form a strap handle with an attached inner top panel, and this assembly is then glued to the inside of the carton outer top panel, as both a strap handle and a protective layer.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 60/729,016, filed Oct. 21, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to cartons for packaging articles such as beverage bottles, and more particularly to a carton with a strap handle and an additional top layer under the handle for carton strength and product protection.

Cartons having handles in their top walls are well known in the art. An example of the strap handle carton for use in packaging beverage bottles is disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 1,243,987 in which a carton is illustrated as having a strap handle that is formed primarily from a top wall. The strap handle includes a longitudinally elongated medial grip portion and a pair of wider portions located at opposite ends of the medial grip portion. Each wider portion is defined by a pair of cut lines that diverge from the medial grip portion toward the adjacent end edge of the top wall. To lift the carton, the strap handle is gripped at the medial grip portion and pulled upward, which displaces the handle from a stowed position where the handle lies in the plane of the top wall to a use position where it is arched upwardly from the plane of the top wall. During this displacement, the wider portions of the handle are inwardly moved toward each other while the respective parts of the wider portions near the end edges of the top wall are moved downwardly under the plane of the top wall.

Other types of top-wall handles are known. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,277 discloses a carton is disclosed in which the handle is formed from two elongated, parallel apertures. A further example of a top wall strap handle is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,066, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Top wall handles allow customers to easily lift and carry cartons. However, when a handle is incorporated into or attached to the top wall, activating the handle may involve pulling at least a portion of the top wall partially away from carton. This may leave an opening in the top wall. If the handle is used during shipping and delivery, the resulting opening in the top of the carton may allow pilferage to occur during subsequent storage, for example in a supermarket stockroom. Cartons on display in a retail store aisle may have contents removed, for example by a customer wishing to purchase a single beverage container. Even if nothing is taken from the carton, a customer may perceive an “opened” carton to be less desirable. Dust, dirt, insects, or other undesirable material may find its way into the carton. Separating away a portion of the carton top wall may reduce the strength of the carton and make stacked storage less secure. The carton may be damaged during subsequent handling.

What is needed, therefore, is a carton having a convenient strap handle, which upon use has adequate strength for lifting the carton, but which leaves intact a top wall of the carton to protect its contents during shipping and handling prior to the time that a purchaser is ready to remove the contents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a carton including an outer top panel, a pair of opposed ends panels hingedly connected to the outer top panel, an integral strap handle extending between the end panels under the outer top panel, and an inner top panel which effectively maintains a closed carton even after activation of the strap handle. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the carton is formed from a first blank of material, and the strap handle is formed from second blank of material. The second blank is folded to form a strap handle with an attached inner top panel, and this assembly is then glued to the inside of the carton outer top panel, as both a strap handle and a protective layer.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a carton is provided having an outer top panel, a pair of side panels, and a base panel, the panels foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure. Opposed end portions close each end of the tubular structure, each end portions being formed from a plurality of overlapped end flaps, with each of the flaps being hingedly connected to a respective one of the panels. An inner top panel is secured to an inner surface of the outer top panel to thereby form a multi-ply top panel structure. A first strap handle has a central gripping portion disposed between and connected at each end thereof to a handle anchoring portion, the central gripping portion being disposed between the outer top panel and the inner top panel.

Each handle anchoring portion may include a strap handle end flap foldably connected to the gripping portion, each anchoring portion being secured to an inner surface of one of the opposed end portions.

The outer top panel, the side panels, and the bottom panel may all be formed from a first blank, and the inner top panel may be formed from a separate, second blank. The first strap handle may is formed from the second blank, and is foldably connected to the inner top panel.

The carton may include a second strap handle, the second strap handle being formed from the second blank and being disposed between the inner top panel and the outer top panel so as to be substantially coincident with the first strap handle.

The outer top panel may define a hand aperture through which the gripping portion of the strap handle may be grasped. A cover panel may be formed within the hand aperture, the cover panel being secured to the gripping portion of the first strap handle so that the cover panel may be grasped simultaneously with the gripping portion of the first strap handle. The inner top panel may define a finger aperture disposed coincident with a part of the gripping portion of the first strap handle to facilitate gripping of the strap handle.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of assembling a carton includes the steps of providing a first blank having at least one first alignment bevel, and providing a second blank having at least one second alignment bevel. The first and second blanks are aligned by matching their respective alignment bevels, and the first blank and the second blank are secured together.

At least one of the alignment bevels may be provided in an unfolded blank. Alternatively, at least one of the alignment bevels may be provided in a folded blank. The matching assembly of said blanks may be accomplished using at least one of visual recognition, video recognition, an alignment jig, an alignment fixture, and an alignment tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a carton blank as viewed from its inner surface, from which a carton according to this invention is formed;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a blank as viewed from its inner surface, from which a strap handle and inner top panel according to this invention is formed;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a partly folded strap handle and inner top panel;

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a completely folded strap handle and inner top panel;

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of a completely folded strap handle and inner top panel being glued to the inner surface of a carton blank;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a carton blank from FIG. 5, partially completed to form a tubular structure;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a carton blank, with side end flaps folded;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a completed carton;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a completed carton with the handle flaps depressed as a step in accessing the handle;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a completed carton with the strap handle in use;

FIG. 11 is a cutaway view of a carton with the strap handle in use;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a completed carton that has been opened;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a pair of blanks from which a carton of an alternative embodiment is formed according to the invention; and

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a carton formed from the blanks of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1, there is shown a carton blank 100 which when constructed, forms a carton 400 shown in FIG. 8 for packaging a plurality of articles such as beverage bottles. In this embodiment, the carton 400 is a fully enclosed carton designed to accommodate 24 bottles arranged in four rows each containing six bottles, but the blank or carton may be modified for any number of bottles, cans or other articles.

The carton blank 100 has an outer top panel 110, a pair of side panels 120 and 130 hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 117 and 118 respectively, and bottom panel 140 hingedly connected to side panel 120 along fold line 127. Bottom panel 140 also is hingedly connected to longitudinal securing tab 150 along fold line 147. The fold lines 117, 118, 127, and 147 may be simple score lines, partially cut score lines, perforated lines or other suitable means. The base panel 140 has lower end flaps 141 and 142 which in use are folded to partially close the carton. The outer top panel 110 has outer top end flaps 111 and 112 which in use are folded down. Hingedly connected to the side panels 120 and 130 along fold lines are side end flaps 121, 122, 131, and 132 which are folded inwardly and are adhesively secured to the inside surface of the end flaps 111, 112, 141, and 142 so as to fully enclose the ends of the carton 400. The side flaps may include one or more yielding tab severance lines 123. For the construction described in this paragraph assumes that there are no other panels in the carton, but it should be understood from the following description that parts of a strap handle and inner top panel attached inside the carton (particularly the end flaps thereof) may be interposed between certain end flaps already described).

The end flaps are hingedly connected to the other panels along fold lines 152 and 154.

The outer top panel 110 incorporates a series of tear lines which define a handle access panel 115. The outer top panel 110 also incorporates opening flap tears lines 119, which partially define opening flaps 113. Also on outer top panel 110 are shown carton alignment bevels 161 whose use will be described later.

In FIG. 2, there is shown a handle block 200 which when constructed, forms a strap handle and inner top panel 300 shown in FIG. 4, for incorporating into carton 400 as a handle and for improved protection of the carton contents.

The handle blank 200 has an inner top panel 210 with a first strap panel 220 and a second strap panel 230 hingedly connected thereto along fold lines 217 and 218 respectively. Each of the first strap panel 220 and the second strap panel 230 include a gripping portion 223 and 233 respectively. The inner top panel 210 also has hingedly attached along fold lines 252 and 254 inner top end flaps 211 and 212 which in use are folded down. The first strap panel 220 has corresponding handle end flaps 221 and 222, and the second strap panel 230 has corresponding handle end flaps 231 and 232. The handle flaps are hingedly attached to the first strap panel and second strap panel along fold lines 252 and 254. In use, the handle flaps are folded down.

The fold lines 217, 218, 252, and 254 may be simple score lines, partially cut score lines, perforated lines or other suitable means.

Also shown in FIG. 2 are bottleneck receiving apertures 225 and bottleneck yielding tabs 235, and handle clearance apertures 213 and corresponding yielding tabs 215. The size and placement of these apertures and tabs is shown for example only, and may be tailored to suit the size, number, and position of bottles or other contents held by the carton.

Top inner panel 210 includes mitered opening flaps 260, defined by lateral severance line 262, longitudinal severance line 264, peripheral severance lines 266, and peripheral fold lines 268. Also shown in top inner panel 210 are opening flap tear lines 270, which partly define opening flaps 275.

FIG. 3 shows a first step in assembling the handle blank. Adhesive is applied to glue areas 226 and 227 in the handle flap areas of first strap panel 220, as shown in phantom view. The first strap panel 220 is then folded as denoted by arrow 228, along fold lines 217 (previously shown in FIG. 2) so that the first strap panel overlays the top inner panel 210, with the first strap panel then being positioned as shown by 220′. Note that the adhesive at glue areas 226 and 227 cause the first strap panel 220 to attach to the top inner panel 210 at the respective end panel areas of these two panels (220 and 210), while leaving the first strap panel 220 not attached to the top inner panel 210 along the middle portion of the panels. The glue areas 226 and 227 preferably glue together the distant ends of inner top end flaps 211 and 212, with handle end flaps 221 and 222, so that upon final assembly when these flaps are bent downward within the carton, only a lower portion of the assembled flaps will be held together, thus allowing some movement of the strap.

FIG. 4 shows a second step in assembling the handle blank. Adhesive is applied to glue area 236 on second panel 230, as shown in phantom view. The glue area is preferably most of the surface of second strap panel 230. The second strap panel 220 is then folded as denoted by arrow 238, along fold lines 218 (previously shown in FIG. 2) so that the second strap panel 230 overlays the first strap 220, with the first strap panel then being positioned as shown by 230′. Note that the adhesive at glue area 236 causes the first strap panel 220 and second strap panel 230 to be bonded together over much or all of their interfacing surfaces. The combined first and second strap panels are however not glued to middle area of the top inner panel 210. As viewed in FIG. 4, yielding tabs 235 will align with and overlie clearance apertures 225, but tabs 235 and apertures 225 will be positioned between clearance apertures 213.

After folding and gluing, the handle blank 200 is handle subassembly 300 as shown in FIG. 4. Along the outer periphery of the handle subassembly 300 are incorporated handle alignment bevels 361.

FIG. 5 shows the step of assembling the handle subassembly 300 to the carton blank 100. On the handle assembly 300 shown in an initial position in phantom view, adhesive is applied to glue areas 311 and 312 on the inner top end flaps, which will attach to the outer top end flaps 111 and 112. These glue areas 311 and 312 are at the distant ends of the end flaps.

Adhesive is applied to glue area 315 on a central portion of the second strap panel 230, which will attach to the handle access panel 115 in outer top panel 110. Adhesive is applied to glue areas 318 on selected portions of the inner top panel to attach to the outer top panel 110. The handle subassembly 300 with glue thereupon is then turned over as shown by arrow 320, and placed upon outer top panel 110 (now mostly hidden beneath it) as denoted by position 300′.

Note that upon gluing to the inside surface of carton blank 100, the handle subassembly 300′ now shows inner top panel 210, but the strap handle itself is not visible in this view, being sandwiched between inner top panel 210 and outer top panel 110.

To aid in the assembly step shown in FIG. 5, carton blank 100 is provided with carton alignment bevels 161, and the handle subassembly 300 is provided with handle alignment bevels 361. During carton assembly, these alignment bevels are superimposed at points “A,” preferably utilizing a suitable tool, fixture, jig, or other alignment means. To further aid in such alignment, the inner top end flaps 211 and 212 of the handle subassembly 300 may be slightly narrower, shorter, or both, relative to the corresponding outer top end flaps 111 and 112 of the carton blank 100.

While the example embodiment here uses alignment bevels for precise assembly or positioning of a carton blank and a handle subassembly, such alignment bevels may be used for precise assembly or positioning of other types of structures including other types of cartons, particularly where proper registration of parts is important. For example, alignment bevels may be used to precisely locate other types of handle assemblies, reinforcing elements, secondary containment layers, or any other structures that are preferably assembled in precise registration with the carton or carton blank. An actual example wherein alignment bevels are used according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 13, which will be described later in more details.

FIG. 6 shows the carton 400 being assembled into a tubular arrangement where securing tab 150 has been glued to join bottom panel 140 with side panel 120. At this stage the carton could be filled with product, for example with beverage containers such as bottles.

FIG. 7 shows the carton 400 being assembled with the ends partially closed as the side end flaps 122 and 132 (and also 121 and 131, not shown) have been folded inward.

FIG. 8 shows the carton 400 being assembled with the ends closed as top end flap 112 and bottom end flap 142 have been folded inward and glued to the side end flaps. (Top end flap 111 and bottom end flap 141 are not shown). For the bottom end flap such as 142, the gluing area is preferably much of the interior of the end flap as shown by area 402. For the top end flap such as 112 (which has attached to its interior one end of the handle subassembly 300) a preferable gluing area is only the low end of the top end flap such as shown by gluing area 404. This leaves an upper portion of the handle end flap (221, 222, 231, 232, all hidden in FIG. 8) free to move or flex inward when the handle is used.

FIG. 9 shows a first step in using the handle on a completed carton. Handle flaps 160 have been pressed inward, breaking them free of the plane of outer top panel 110 along handle flap tear lines 162, and bending inward along handle flap fold lines 164. The wide ends 166 of handle access panel 115 are still attached to the plane of outer top panel 110 along tear lines 168 and 169. The movement of handle flaps 160 downward into a position convenient for carrying is made easier because the downward movement of a customer's fingers, or of these flaps when pushed by a customer, may also move mitered opening flaps 260 that are part of inner top panel 210, previously shown in the carton blank in FIG. 1, now shown as having been opened inward in FIG. 10.

In FIG. 10, the handle has been pulled upward from the plane of the outer top panel 110, so that handle access panel 115 separates from outer top panel 110 as shown by wide ends 166 of the handle access panel 115 separating away from tear lines 168 and 169. With this separation, the handle access panel 115 may move further upward, as further shown by bringing into view a portion of second strap panel 230, which is adhesively attached to the handle access panel 115. The second strap panel 230 is able to move upward being glue attachment of the handle end flaps 221, 222, 231, 232 (shown in FIG. 2) does not extend all the way to the top inside of the carton, and thus the center of the handle as attached to handle access panel 115 may move or flex upward, as shown in cutaway view in FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 is a cutaway view 420 of a carton with the handle lifted, as shown by handle access panel 115 being separated upward from the carton. The wide end 166 of the handle access panel is attached to the handle assembly 300, as previously described. For simplicity here, the wide end 166 is depicted as being attached to second strap handle 230, which in turn continues as handle end flap 231 which further is glued to the end of the carton as denoted by glue area 311. (The handle end flaps and attached inner top panel end flaps may be outside at least portions of the side top end flaps.) Since glue area 311 does not extend all the way to the top of the carton, the handle assembly as characterized by second strap handle 230 is able to flex away from the inside upper corner edge of the carton (as represented by the dihedral angle 430), allowing the attached handle access panel to move further upward. The top of bottle 410 might obstruct the inward movement of strap handle 230, but to permit freer movement of the strap handle, yield tabs 235 are provided, as are bottleneck-receiving apertures 225 (not directly shown; previously shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), through which the neck of the end-most bottle 410 is seen protruding. Although only second strap handle 230 is drawn in FIG. 11, it should be understood that the curvature of this handle is also followed by first strap handle 220 (not shown) to which second strap handle 230 is glued. To avoid or minimize separation of inner top panel 210 (not shown) from the carton top wall, clearance apertures 213 (see FIG. 2) are provided, into which the portions of handle straps 220 and 230 formed adjacent to apertures 225 and tabs 235 may protrude.

FIG. 12 shows the carton being opened for access to contents such as bottles 410. By grasping the inner top panel 210 and the outer top panel 110, for example proximate to mitered opening flaps 260 under the handle access panel 115, and pulling upward, the consumer may tear outer top panel opening flap 113 and inner top panel opening flap 275 (which are glued together) along outer top panel opening flap tear lines 119 and inner top panel opening flap tear lines 270 respectively, thereby folding the combined opening flaps outward about folding line 118. The opening flaps may then either be torn loose along this line, or left hingedly attached to the carton, for example to be reclosed later.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate a pair of separate blanks and a carton according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. Blanks 500 and 600 in FIG. 13 correspond respectively to blanks 100 and 200 in the preceding embodiment and are designed to be assembled into a carton 800 of FIG. 14 that is similar in a general sense to the carton 400 shown in FIG. 8. Therefore, those elements in FIGS. 13 and 14 that correspond with like elements of the preceding embodiment have been given the same numbering and prefixed with the number ‘5’ or ‘6’ for clarity. In the majority of respects, the details of composition and method of assembly of the carton of the alternative embodiment are identical to those of the preceding embodiment described above, and therefore only those areas that differ will be described below.

The carton 800 in FIG. 14 differs from the carton 400 in that the carton 800 employs aperture handles 580 (only one shown in FIG. 14) formed in the opposite end walls 590 (only one shown in FIG. 14) of the carton 800, respectively. Such aperture handles 580 are formed from hand apertures 514, 515, 614 and 615 as well as cutouts 570, 571, 572, 573 and particularly by bringing those apertures and cutouts on each end of the carton into proper alignment. The hand apertures 614 and 615 of the insert blank 600 must be brought into alignment with the hand apertures 514 and 515 respectively during the process wherein the insert blank 610 is secured to the inside surface of the carton blank 500. For the purpose of precisely positioning the insert blank 600 on the carton blank 500, the alignment bevel 561 and 661 are used in the same way as the alignment bevels 161 in the preceding embodiment. Guiding the alignment bevels 561 and 661 into alignment with each other results in the accurate alignment of hand apertures 514 and 614 as well as that of hand apertures 515 and 615. After the alignment of the hand apertures is completed, the inner top panel 610 and the inner top end flaps 611 and 612 are secured to the inside surfaces of the outer top panel 510 and the outer top end flaps 511 and 512 respectively. The remainder of the carton-assembling process is substantially identical to that described in the preceding embodiment. 

1. A carton comprising an outer top panel, a pair of side panels, a base panel, said panels foldably interconnected to form a tubular structure, opposed end portions for closing each end of said tubular structure, each end portion formed from a plurality of overlapped end flaps, each of said flaps being hingedly connected to a respective one of said panels, an inner top panel secured to an inner surface of said outer top panel to thereby form a multi-ply top panel structure, and a first strap handle having a central gripping portion disposed between and connected at each end thereof to a handle anchoring portion, said central gripping portion being disposed between said outer top panel and said inner top panel.
 2. The carton of claim 1, wherein each said handle anchoring portion comprises a strap handle end flap foldably connected to said gripping portion, each said anchoring portion being secured to an inner surface of one of said opposed end portion.
 3. The carton of claim 1, wherein said outer top panel, said side panels, and said bottom panel are all formed from a first blank, and wherein said inner top panel is formed from a separate, second blank.
 4. The carton of claim 3, wherein said first strap handle is formed from said second blank, and is foldably connected to said inner top panel.
 5. The carton of claim 4, wherein said carton comprises a second strap handle, said second strap handle being formed from said second blank and being disposed between said inner top panel and said out top panel so as to be substantially coincident with said first strap handle.
 6. The carton of claim 1, wherein said outer top panel defines a hand aperture through which said gripping portion of said strap handle may be grasped.
 7. The carton of claim 6, further comprising a cover panel formed within said hand aperture, said cover panel being secured to said gripping portion of said first strap handle so that said cover panel may be grasped simultaneously with said gripping portion of said first strap handle.
 8. The carton of claim 6, wherein said inner top panel defines a finger aperture disposed coincident with a part of said gripping portion of said first strap handle to facilitate gripping of said strap handle.
 9. The carton of claim 4, wherein said at inner top panel comprises at least one first alignment bevel for alignment during assembly to the portion of the carton formed from said first blank.
 10. The carton of claim 4, wherein said portion of the carton formed from said first blank comprises at least one said alignment bevel for alignment during assembly.
 11. A method of assembling a carton comprising the steps of: providing a first blank having at least one first alignment bevel, providing a second blank having at least one second alignment bevel, aligning said first and said second blanks by matching their respective alignment bevels, and securing said first blank and said second blank together.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of said alignment bevels is provided in an unfolded blank.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of said alignment bevels is provided in a folded blank.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein matching assembly of said blanks is accomplished using at least one of visual recognition, video recognition, an alignment jig, an alignment fixture, and an alignment tool.
 15. A blank arrangement comprising a first and second separate blanks secured together in a single unit wherein the first blank comprises an outer primary panel, a pair of outer end flaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of the outer primary panel and a first handle means, wherein the second blank comprises an inner primary panel, a pair of inner end flaps hingedly connected to opposite end edges of the inner primary panel and a second handle means, and wherein at least one of the outer end flaps has a pair of divergently extending first beveled edges disposed in general alignment with a pair of divergently extending second beveled edges of one of the inner end flaps. 